1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system, a reader/writer, an authentication method, and a computer program. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with: a reader/writer that reads or writes information from or in an IC module, in which one or more applications are loaded, in response to an instruction issued from a controller in which counter-applications compatible with the applications are loaded; a communication system including the reader/writer; an authentication method to be implemented by the reader/writer; and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a plurality of applications including, for example, an application designed for electronic settlement and an application that accumulates service points provided by a shop have been able to be loaded in an IC module such as an IC chip incorporated in an IC card or a portable cellular phone (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-7971). Reading or writing information from or in the IC module is achieved by a reader/writer that is controlled by a counter-application compatible with an application loaded in the IC module. In general, for reading or writing, the reader/writer and IC module mutually authenticate. For reading or writing of information from or in the IC module in which a plurality of applications is loaded, each of the applications in the IC module and the reader/writer should mutually authenticate. For the sake of security, different reader/writers have been included in association with counter-applications in the past.
However, the necessity of a plurality of reader/writers poses various problems concerning an installation space, usability, maintenance, or the like in a shop or the like in which the reader/writers are loaded. More particularly, for example, there is no space for installation of a plurality of reader/writers, a user has to select an appropriate reader/writer that is optimal for desired processing from among the plurality of loaded reader/writers, and maintenance work and costs are needed proportionally to the number of applications.
All pieces of key information for mutual authentication between a reader/writer and each of applications loaded in an IC module are stored in the reader/writer. The reader/writer and the plurality of applications loaded in the IC module mutually authenticate, and the reader/writer reads or writes information.